


Hunted

by skypirateb



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-31
Updated: 2012-03-31
Packaged: 2017-11-02 19:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/372486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skypirateb/pseuds/skypirateb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's a reason Orion has always been a touchy topic with the twins. A little on the rough side. Written for chellerific's birthday ♥</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hunted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chellerrific](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chellerrific/gifts).



Artemis paced back and forth across the floor, twisting an arrow in her hands. Apollo leant against the wall, biting down hard on each of his nails in turn, muttering chord progressions and sequences under his breath. There was a palpable tension in the air, the large scorpion carcass between them a gruesome reminder of why they were there. They had been lucky to find one on such short notice; but then, they were the two best trackers on Olympus.

Finally, Artemis whipped around. "Will you _stop that_?" she hissed. 

"Stop what?"

"That muttering! It's driving me crazy!"

"Yeah well your pacing is driving _me_ crazy," Apollo snapped. "Hermes above, do you ever stop moving?"

"There's no need for you to fill every silence with noise!" Artemis retorted. "Sometimes it's okay to be quiet for thirty seconds together!"

"I was being quiet! It's not like I was singing! Would you prefer it if I sang?"

"That's not what I meant!"

" _Νανι μου το νανι νανι, κι οπου μου πονει να—_ "

Artemis flailed her hands. "Stop that!" 

"You love that lullaby!"

"Not when you're using it to annoy me!"

Apollo gave her an overly-shocked look. "I would never!"

"Yes you were!"

"I'm cut, Artie, cut to the heart."

The door of the ante-chamber opened before Artemis could retaliate. Hermes stepped in, a lopsided smile tugging at the edge of his mouth.

"Now now, children," he said in a gently mocking tone. "The king is ready to see you. Word to the wise: he's in a pissy mood so try not to do that old-married-couple bickering bit you're both so fond of."

There was a cracking noise as the arrow Artemis still had clenched in her fist split up and down the shaft.

With a sigh, Apollo kicked off against the wall. "C'mon, Artie. Let's get this over with."

* * *

_It was a routine hunting trip. Find the hellhound, take it down, and lecture the clearly useless demigods on how to fire a bow properly. And also how not to annoy Creepy Uncle Hades. The twins picked their way across the undergrowth of the Kretan forest, making no more noise than any of the Kri-kri that populated the wilderness of the island. The summer sun was hot above them and the constant drone of the cicadas drummed in their ears._

_As they walked, Apollo mimicked the trilling call of the swallows "to help them blend in". Artemis rolled her eyes and bit her tongue. At least he wasn't_ actually _singing._

_There was a flicker of movement in the trees. Both twins stopped short, squinting through the close branches. They stepped silently over the tree roots and peered around a large cedar tree._

_In a clearing before them, a large black hellhound had lain down on the leaves, a Kri-kri clamped between its massive jaws. Apollo exchanged a glance with his sister and started walking the right edge of the clearing as she walked around to the left. After several meters, he jumped lithely up to a low-hanging branch and pulled himself up into the trees. He stood and drew his bow with ease, aiming for the thick flesh around the hellhound's neck._

_He gave a trilling call once, twice, three times, and loosed his arrow._

_It struck its mark with a loud_ thwak! _The hellhound gave a loud growl and jumped to its feet. In the time it took to draw his knife Apollo leapt from the branch and tumbled onto the ground. He turned and saw Artemis across the clearing, her own knife in hand. In the same breath they sprung forwards and drove their knives into the hellhound's sides. It gave a yelp and in one fluid movement they drew their blades across its throat and it collapsed in a shower of dust. The arrows clattered to the ground._

_Apollo pulled out a cloth and started wiping off his blade._

_Artemis knelt down. "Why are there three arrows here?"_

_"Huh?" Apollo looked over to her. There were indeed three arrows lying in the grass. "How peculiar! Not one of ours?"_

_"No." Artemis stood up, inspecting the third arrow. "It doesn't look like anyone's I've seen before."_

_"That's mine." With a loud rustling a tall youth appeared from out of the trees. "Sorry, but are you... You're the Twin Archers, aren't you?"_

_The twins stared at the youth, frozen in their places. After a long moment Apollo smiled broadly._

_"Indeed we are!" He stepped forwards, his hands spread in a welcoming gesture. "I am, of course, Phoebus Apollo, and this is my dearest sister, Artemis Agrotera."_

_The youth bowed, a little clumsy with nerves. "It is an honour; not only to be in your presence, but also to have witnessed your superior and unsurpassable hunting skills." He stood, his black curls flopping across his forehead. "I am your most humble servant."_

_Grinning, Apollo turned back to his sister, expecting to see her expression stony and appraising. Instead, there was a look in her features he had never seen before—not in Artemis, at least. Her eyes were wide and her brow slack; her bow-shaped lips parted and a light colour rising in her cheeks._

_He had seen that look—he had_ inspired _that look—in the faces of scores of people: nymphs, humans, goddesses, each of his nine Muses. He searched for that look, he craved that reaction from every introduction—he had even seen it in the face of this mysterious youth who had appeared from the trees. When he saw that look he knew it was only a matter of time before he would be tangled in sheets with whomever bestowed it upon him._

_It was never a look he had expected to see gracing Artemis' countenance. It made his stomach twist and flare with bile._

_He blinked and the look was gone. Artemis' mouth returned to a hard line and her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. She stepped over and held out the arrow with little grace or ceremony._

_"You may take it back, then, since it's yours."_

_"Ah, thank you, my lady," the youth said with a slight bow. Artemis withdrew her hand a touch too quickly and a look of confusion spread across his face. Apollo laughed as brightly as he could manage._

_"Forgive my sister; she is disinclined towards the company of men." He clapped his hand on the youth's shoulder. "You get used to it. What did you say your name was?"_

_He bowed his head again. "My name is Orion, my Lord. Son of Poseidon."_

* * *

As members of the Council, Apollo and Artemis regularly attended meetings in the throne room. As their father's best trackers and hunters, they were regularly issued orders while standing at the foot of his throne. This, however, was something else entirely.

Zeus was sitting in his throne, his typical expression of flippancy replaced with a dark scowl of annoyance. The only other person in the throne room was their uncle, Poseidon, and his scowl was even darker and stormier than that of his younger brother. 

Despite everything that had happened in the last few days, Apollo felt the overwhelming urge to take his sister's hand. He clenched his fists instead.

"Start talking," Zeus commanded, punctuating the order with a low rumble of thunder. 

Apollo drew a deep breath; he sensed Artemis doing the same beside him. "Well, Father," he began, for once treating a situation with the gravity it demanded, "I think you'll find the entire affair is really a rather simple one."

* * *

_It was Apollo's idea that they take Orion under their wing._

_"Come on, Artie. You have to admit he's talented!"_

_"You just want him to be talented with..._ other things _," Artemis hissed, a look of mild disgust on her face._

_"You mean with sex?" Apollo asked, ignoring his sister's squawk. "Oh Artie, why on earth would you assume that?"_

_"Because that's all you think about!" she spat._

_Apollo gasped dramatically. "Untrue! I think about a lot of other things!"_

_"Poetry and music don't count when you only ever write things about... about lust."_

_"Which I don't!"_

_Artemis scoffed. "_ I _am not teaching a_ man _anything."_

_Apollo sighed heavily. "Well that's unfortunate. I've already asked him to join us."_

_It took days for Artemis to calm down, and far longer for her to forgive her brother. Apollo placated her with the promise that she didn't have to deal with Orion_ that _much, really, if she thought about it, because Apollo himself would be teaching Orion most of the time. Artemis just had to learn to be civil when they went on joint missions or hunts. After much begging and pleading and bribing, Artemis relented._

_Orion, already a perfectly competent hunter, excelled under their tutelage. He was swift, silent, and spry; he moved through the forests like a light breeze of wind and seized his prey as easily as he breathed. Artemis couldn't help but take notice—his skills were impressive, for a male. Yes, as long as she always made that addendum, she would be quite safe._

_And then something strange began to happen. Where before she had kept her distance, and let Apollo do the teaching, she found herself giving Orion hints and pointers. It was his own fault, really: he made such simple mistakes that frustrated her whenever she noticed them. He_ should _know better if he wanted to call himself a hunter. Before long, however, she was giving him entire lessons on etiquette, on technique, and on strategy. She started taking him out on hunts whether Apollo was there or not. She forgot to add "for a male" to each compliment that occurred to her._

_It was then that she did the unthinkable. She invited him to join her team of hunters._

_Apollo found her sitting on the grass sharpening her arrows. He stomped over, fury bubbling in his chest._

_"What the_ hell _, Artemis?"_

_She took her time as she finished rubbing the sharpening stone over the head of the arrow in her hands. She set the arrow down carefully in the pile on her left, and picked up another arrow from the pile on her right. "What have you got your chiton in a twist over this time?"_

_"You inviting Orion to join the Hunters!" he spat. "What the hell is that about?! You didn't even like him and now suddenly he's allowed in your Band of Merry Maidens?"_

_"There is no law prohibiting the inclusion of men in my retinue," Artemis replied, her tone controlled and careful._

_"No, only the standard you've always set yourself! What the hell happened?"_

_"As I said, there is no law prohibiting it." She examined the arrow head closely, turning it over in her hands. "Anyone who is deemed worthy may be invited. I believe Orion has proven himself to be a hunter worthy of distinction."_

_Apollo clenched his hands into fists. "Yet you've always refused to let me in."_

_Artemis scoffed. "We both know that would never work. You may be a hunter but you don't live and breathe the wilderness. Besides," she picked up another arrow, "_ you're _the one who always_ insists _on flirting when any of my maidens come within earshot."_

_"Do you even know what he did to Merope?"_

_Artemis paused for barely a fraction of a second, but Apollo noticed. "I believe he has atoned for his actions."_

_"No." Apollo glared at her. "No, you're as bad as Uncle Hades when it comes to grudges." Artemis shot him a dark look._

_"Take that back," she demanded through gritted teeth, but Apollo barreled on._

_"There's something else going on here. Something you're not telling me." His sister turned back to the arrow in hand, her expression sour._

_"If you've only come here to yell at me I don't see any point in listening anymore."_

_"Just tell me what's going on!"_

_"Nothing's going on!"_

_"Then why won't you talk to me!"_

_"I'm talking to you now!"_

_"You're not, you're just avoi—Oh my Muse."_

_"What?" Artemis snapped._

_Apollo stared at her, eyes wide and jaw slack. "You... don't tell me you actually..."_

_"What?" The deep crease between Artemis' brows was replaced by a look of shock. "Are you—do you mean..." she spluttered, a deep crimson blush rising in her cheeks. "How_ dare _you!"_

_"Is that what this is?!"_

_"Get out!"_

_"We're outside!"_

_"Then go AWAY!"_

_She refused to speak to him for days. Whenever he got near her an angry blush would rise in her cheeks and she would pointedly leave the room. Even after she started speaking to him again there was a distinct coolness in her tone that she had never used with him before._

_He didn't blame her, not really. Apollo had known the comment was out of line the moment he said it, but he had a complete inability to keep his mouth shut at times. Regardless of how his sister was feeling, though, there was still Orion to consider. Sure he was a little bitter that he had joined Artemis' hunt instead of his, but there was the more pressing concern of Orion's history. Okay, so most of the family didn't have such a great history when it came to conquests but when his sister was the target Apollo took exception._

_There had to be something he could do._

* * *

"It was an entirely routine excursion, Father," Artemis said, her voice steady and level. "We tracked and killed a hind for the meat." 

"Then how did _my son_ end up dead?" Poseidon demanded.

Apollo knew his sister wasn't a natural at acting, but she was certainly a natural hardass. She barely flinched under waves of anger that were rolling off their uncle. "He was the one who killed the hind. He made a boast that he would kill every beast on the surface of the earth. Gaea took umbrage with it. _That_ ," she indicated with her hunting knife in hand, "is what she sent after him. That is what killed him. My brother and I were able to slay it but not until it was too late for O—him."

Zeus turned his steely gaze on Apollo. "What were you doing there if it was Artemis' hunt?" 

_Here goes nothing_. "Well, O Radiant Father, my sister, realising the immense gravity of the situation, thought it best to summon me to her side in order to fight this vicious beast."

"Summoned you?"

"It's a twin thang," Apollo said with a nonchalant shrug. Zeus grunted and looked back to Artemis.

"Where is Orion's body?"

"The venom was burning him away, so I have already placed him among the stars." Apollo wondered if their father would detect the subtle trace of bitterness in his sister's voice.

Zeus sat back in his throne and was quiet for a long moment. "Alright," he said finally. "You're both off the hook."

" _What_." Poseidon growled. 

"Beat it before I change my mind." The twins didn't need telling twice. Their fleet feet carried them across the throne room and out into the open air as quickly as was respectable.

"It worked," Apollo said breathlessly as they came to rest under a large laurel tree. "It actually worked." A wide smile spread across his face. "We're off the hook! He said so himself! And no-one has to be any the wiser! Sis, sis! Up top!" He held his hand out for a high-five. 

Artemis completely ignored him. Her expression was hard and focused on the ground beneath her. She sheathed her hunting knife. "Don't think I've forgiven you for what you did." And without so much as glancing at him, she turned and strode away across the grass to where her chariot was awaiting. With a call and a flick of the reins, she was gone.

Apollo's good mood faded as quickly as it had shone. He slumped back against the tree and sunk to the ground, his stomach twisting into knots.

* * *

_Apollo was walking along the lake shore when he came across Orion._

_"Good morning, my Lord!" Orion called to him. Anger flared in Apollo's chest but he was prudent enough not to let it show on his face._

_"Hello there!" he replied cheerfully, strolling over. "Out for a morning swim, are you?"_

_"Indeed, my Lord. Care to join me?"_

_A plan was already rapidly forming in Apollo's mind. "No, no, I was merely passing by. You go right ahead." Orion bowed to him before striding out onto the water several yards and diving in. Within a minute he was far out from the shore._

_Apollo pulled out his bow. He didn't have much time. He drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it. He pulled back his arm, his form perfect, and took aim. His fingers twitched on the string and at the last moment, there was a noise behind him._

_"Brother?"_

_He turned, trying to affect nonchalance. "Hey Artie."_

_Artemis frowned. "Don't call me that. What are you doing?"_

_"Nothing!"_

_"Then why is your bow out?"_

_He had to think fast. "Fine. If you must know, I was trying to hit that target out there." He pointed towards the centre of the lake where Orion's head was visible. "I've missed a couple of times already."_

_Artemis stared at him. "You missed_ that _?"_

_"Well it keeps moving, you see..."_

_"You should still be able to hit a moving target."_

_"You do it then, if you're so clever."_

_She shot him a suspicious look. Apollo focused all his energy on keeping his expression and body language as neutral and as natural as possible. While he wasn't strictly lying, Artemis was still his twin: they had an instinctive knack for sensing ulterior motives in one another._

_After several moments that felt like several ages, Artemis pulled out her own bow and in one swift movement she drew an arrow, aimed, and fired._

_Her aim was flawless._


End file.
